My favorite farmer’s and my mantra has always been, We’re In This Together. We met the fall of my freshman year at Dartmouth and quickly became the couple that we still are today. We are the ones that do everything together – from home, to work on the farm, to parenting our three beautiful girls.

The driving factor in our decision to head from the East coast back to the family farm in 1997 was our desire to build something meaningful together. Matt is my rock – the steady intelligent entrepreneur who somehow manages to thrive in a house of four very driven females.

My dedication to doing things right often makes me a work-a-hol-ic. I don’t rest until my animals have all that they need. That is just the way that God made me. I shrug off the fatigue and keep going, never stopping until the job is done. There are days that I am pretty sure that I exhaust both my husband and my crew, but they loyally stay and work alongside me. That is just the way that God made them.

There are two young ladies that make us all smile. Their presence puts everything into perspective, and their good humor breaks up the long weeks of the fall. I look forward to the weekends and rely on them to practically help complete chores while also to lighten the mood at the feed yard.

It struck me Sunday morning, just how much I need them. It left me a bit in awe as I realized how well they listen, how quickly they learn, and how incredibly capable they are. From scooping bunks, to exercising calves, to checking daily animal health, to spouting Beef Quality Assurance and Progressive Beef protocols — all with a smile, and all with the work ethic and responsibility that permeates the culture of the farm. They GET IT.

After we finished morning chores, we headed over to the feed yard office. Every Sunday morning, Megan writes a new inspirational quote on the white board in the office. The one she chose for this week could not have been more appropriate.

Some might think that I expect too much of my girls, but one of my greatest responsibilities as a parent is to place them in situations where they can develop maturity, responsibility, accountability, and the resulting self-confidence that comes from true accomplishment.

My gift to them comes in the form of a shovel, coveralls, and Bogg boots all wrapped up with the knowledge of how to use these tools to benefit the animals on our farm and ultimately the people that those animals will go on to nourish.

Between our home and our farm, our girls learn every day that life is more meaningful if we’re in this together. I look at them and recognize Matt’s and my greatest success in our journey…

8 responses to “We’re In This Together…”

In a short essay on country music, I noted that more than anything it was about a sense of place, about being a part of something rather than alienated from something – and it shows and shines in rural kids.

Yes, I agree. It is amazing how kids blossom when they figure out how important they are — that they have gifts to share that make a true difference. This is easier (I think) for rural kids to figure out because they are able to feel a part of both the community and the farm (if they live on one). My girls feels connected in a way that was never available to me growing up in the city.

“My gift to them comes in the form of a shovel, coveralls, and Bogg boots all wrapped up with the knowledge of how to use these tools to benefit the animals on our farm and ultimately the people that those animals will go on to nourish.”

What a great gift, Anne and Matt! My parents had a very similar idea and gift. If your girls choose to have non-ag careers, these gifts will help to make them successful in whatever they decide to do.

Thank you, Robyn! Yes, I agree that these will help them be successful no matter where their lives take them. I also think that it helps them to be successful as kids — in school, in athletics, in life — they are able to see that there is a bigger picture and it helps them to focus on the positive and leave the teenage drama behind.

So good to hear from you Carol and Jim! We hope that you are settling into the fall and getting ready for the winter which is likely to come even if I don’t want it to…We have had such beautiful weather so far and I keep finding myself selfishly hoping that it will stay. Those smiles on my girls faces come easier if it isn’t below zero outside 🙂

Your family is a success from the way you work in your feed yard, to the way you raise your beautiful girls, to the way you choose to live your life… that is success.
Your blog has been a blessing to hubby and I and I have so enjoyed getting to build a blogging friendship with you. Hopefully some day we can meet in person.
I am enjoying seeing the great journey God has your family on and I can’t wait to see what great things your family future holds 🙂

Welcome to Feedyard Foodie

A native of urban Palm Beach County, Florida; I was an Ivy League educated athlete fueled by beef for many years before I understood “where my beef came from.” Now, I am a mother of three and live with my husband in Nebraska where we run a cattle feedyard and farming operation. Feed Yard Foodie is a site where people can come to read about the real story of beef, written by someone who actually gets their hands dirty.

Behind the Scenes at my Yard, Will Feed, Inc.

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Inspire

"Believing---there are several layers to it. There's the surface-level type of believing, where you acknowledge that something is true. Then there is a deeper kind of belief--the type that gets inside of you and actually changes you. It's the kind of belief that changes your behavior, your attitude, and your outlook on life, and the people around you can't help but notice."